Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa meeting Gopal Chawla. SCREENGRAB
The Indian media watched the ceremony in hushed silence until they spotted Gopal Chawla, who New Delhi says supports the secessionist Khalistan movement, shaking hands with Pakistan’s army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa. As soon as they found the images, the Indian media unleashed a frenzied propaganda against Pakistan.
Kartarpur border corridor: Pakistan and India break the ice
They projected the handshake as Pakistan Army’s alleged support for the Sikh secessionist movement because they accuse Chawla of being a supporter of the Khalistan movement. Chawla had recently stopped Indian diplomats from visiting a Gurudwara in Lahore.
The chief military spokesperson took to Twitter to lament the narrow-mindedness of the Indian media. “Indian media taking a myopic view is selectively showing Mr Gopal Chawla meeting COAS,” DG ISPR Major General Asif Ghafoor wrote on the social networking site.
“[The] army chief met all guests at the venue irrespective of identity. A peace initiative should not be subjected to propaganda.”
Almost all Indian channels beamed images of the handshake and invited hawkish Indian commentators to take the spotlight off the main groundbreaking event.
“Two days back, Chawla, in a video, was seen hailing Pakistan for being committed to the ‘cause of Khalistan’ and slammed India for “trying to convert the nation into Hindustan,” said Times Now on its website.
RSN Singh, Author with his views on India Upfront | #PakTerrorDiplomacy pic.twitter.com/beo48EgOsV
— TIMES NOW (@TimesNow) November 28, 2018
NDTV said Chawla's presence at the ground-breaking ceremony attended by Indian ministers and Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu, raised questions.
Pro-Khalistan leader seen with Pakistan Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa at #Kartarpur event https://t.co/ANV3v0pVzS pic.twitter.com/sIuMH6ET1J
— NDTV (@ndtv) November 28, 2018
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— NDTV (@ndtv) November 28, 2018
Watch full show: https://t.co/14aBBjcbEf
“His name came up in investigations into a grenade attack earlier this month in Amritsar in which three were killed,” it said adding that he is also believed to be close to Jamaatud Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed.
The Economic Times also streamed the footage on its website under the headline, “Kartarpur Corridor: Pro-Khalistan leader Gopal Chawla seen shaking hands with Pak Army chief”.
#KartarpurCorridor: Pro-Khalistan leader Gopal Chawla seen shaking hands with Pak Army chief. | https://t.co/gs7S3B5nxV pic.twitter.com/LmtbsxXK5T
— Economic Times (@EconomicTimes) November 28, 2018
Time of India wrote on its website “…at the same event, presence of Khalistani terrorist Gopal Chawla stood as testimony to Pakistan’s sympathy for extremist forces active against India”.
#Kartarpur: Khalistani terrorist Gopal Chawla seen with Pakistan army chief https://t.co/1rJCquOSFA pic.twitter.com/MQoEq5GxsP
— The Times Of India (@timesofindia) November 28, 2018
Pakistani lens
In the wake of the Indian media stirring a controversy over the handshake between the army chief and Chawla, political commentator Mosharraf Zaidi said, “Leave it to the Indian media to ratchet up controversy between Pakistan and India.”
They [the Indian media] have always tried to burn bridges instead of building them, said the senior analyst, who remained adviser to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 2011 to 2013 and had worked with then foreign minister Hina Rabbani Khar on Pakistan-India ties.
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Zaidi said the Indian media will start a war, even at a time when Islamabad extends its hands for peace with New Delhi.
Zahid Hussain, a seasoned journalist and author, said that General Qamar was bound to shake hands with all members of the Indian delegation.
“It is highly irresponsible of the Indian media to focus singularly on him [Chawla],” he added.
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